Cairo Moves to Prevent More Building Collapse Deaths

Published June 13th, 2000 - 03:00 GMT

Cairo authorities will cut off electricity and water from all buildings under evacuation orders in an attempt to force residents out and prevent more

Cairo authorities will cut off electricity and water from all buildings under evacuation orders in an attempt to force residents out and prevent more building collapse deaths, a newspaper reported Tuesday.

Cairo governor, Abdel Rahim Shahata, said supplies would be cut immediately to all dangerous buildings in the Egyptian capital whose residents have refused to comply with orders for evacuation and emergency repair, Al-Akhbar newspaper reported.

Dozens of Egyptians are killed every year in building collapses, most of which occur after they have been declared unsafe. Shahata urged the demolition of all unsafe buildings.

The latest such accident happened in Egypt's second city, Alexandria, on Sunday when six people were crushed under their apartment block, about a year after it was deemed unsafe.